


He Was His: The Prequel

by Crackalack



Series: He Was His [2]
Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Smut, mlm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 00:07:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16074239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crackalack/pseuds/Crackalack
Summary: Go back to the beginning and see what lead to Max and Gio getting past their drama in New York, and what saw them fall for each other on set





	He Was His: The Prequel

“Bonjour! Sorry to keep you waiting”  
Max’s head snapped, you had got to be kidding him. Aquaria stood there in all her glory in the entrance to the workroom. Max couldn’t help it as his jaw dropped slighting, both out of shock and at the sight of her entrance look. Of course she looked amazing, of course her voice sounded angelic and sultry at the same time, of course she didn’t have to pad to look like that and still had the other queens gagging, even with that god awful mullet.  
“Cracker your twin’s here!” Someone said  
Max couldn’t even place who’s voice it was as a mixture of anger, confusion, and fear filled his head, taking a deep breath and composing himself as he was highly aware of the camera’s around him. Great, he thought to himself, the producers clearly wanted the two of them to be the drama for the season. Of course the whole twins thing had gotten all the way to the WoW producers. As if all of New York knowing wasn’t good enough. He almost felt like a toy being used. Max looked over at Monet, she was thinking the same thing and offered him a sympathetic half smile. Aquaria made her way around the room, her red heels clicking away, ending with Max. They exchanged a quick hug and the basic pleasantries but not much more. There wasn’t much to say to one another, they knew where they stood and they both knew the other being there wasn’t ideal for either of them. Thankfully Ru walked in not to long after, the iconic “Hello hello hello” filling the room. This was it, it was getting even more real the moment they were in Ru’s presence. They completed their first mini challenge, most of them getting out of drag by the time Aquaria literally fell into the room. Did he have to make everything into a scene. Gio kept looking over in Max and Monet’s direction as he got changed, pretending he was checking out Kameron like everyone else was. Watching as Max hung up his drag on the racks in his station, Gio wondered who would talk to who first. They made eye contact briefly, both a mutual look that this wasn’t the time.

For their first challenge they had been assigned “Drag on a Dime”. This was such a classic first runway, both of them had anticipated something like this for the first challenge. It wasn’t like the show shifted its formula that much each season, a design challenge from random shit on the first week shouldn’t be a surprise. Straight after the commotion of fighting the other queens tooth and nail for something that resembled fabric, Gio sketched up a Little Bo Peep inspired look and got himself stuck into his outfit. It was going to have references, structure, tell a story, and of course be a little sexy. If he was going to slay this week like he wanted, he needed to show the judges that they would want more and more of Aquaria. Gio hated to admit it but he did get a bit distracted as he looked across the workroom to where Max was sitting at his table. He could almost hear Max being frazzled and in his head already. He watched as he put lines through his designs and started sketching again, and again, and again. They may not be friends now but they were close for a long time, and it didn’t seem like a lot had changed with Max’s insecurities. Gio remembered how they would go out together and Max would always downplay his look, saying that Aquaria looked so much better than him every time and undermining all his hard work. He looked over at Max’s station, as he put together what appeared to be a well-constructed look but out of awful materials. It wasn’t to Gio’s taste but he knew he wasn’t going home with that look, which was somewhat reassuring in a sense. Max was the only person here who he really knew. He had met a handful of the others if they were in New York but apart from Max there was no one who knew him as a person. As Giovanni. But there was a change in Max now. He was more reserved, less outwardly emotional. Cracker had taken over him more and more, to the point at which Giovanni thought he was hiding something behind her stacked blonde hair.

Gio barely slept that night, knowing that the next day he would be on the Drag Race runway for the first time, his dream come true. On the other side of the wall, their closeness unknown to either of them, Max lay in bed thinking about the same thing and being absolutely terrified. The first 2 days of filming hadn’t really been what he expected them to be. He hadn’t expected to see Monet and Bob, his literal family, and he certainly didn’t expect to see Aquaria. Maybe he should have expected to see her there. It gave reason to why he was cast at least. Max had been surprised to get the call that he was cast, and there was something inside of him that felt like there must have been a reason they cast him on this specific season. They were still so cold to each other, but what did he expect. He hadn’t spoken to Giovanni in months, not since they had their unexplained falling out. He didn’t want to admit it, but he missed him. They had met through Katelyn 3 years ago when Giovanni was only 18. Max remembered telling her how ridiculous it was that she kept making him, a 30-year-old man, hang out with what was basically a child. That being said, he never turned down an invitation that involved the two of them spending time together. They had started to develop their own friendship soon after they met, getting very close over the span of 6 months. They would go to gigs together, see each other’s shows, even just sit in Gio’s crowded living room and watch Drag Race reruns for hours on end until one of them would have to run off to a gig. He had watched Gio grow into this amazing queen in front of his eyes, until he grew too big to need him anymore. He pushed the feelings that were surfacing back down. Suppressing these feelings was better than reliving it all again. Max turned over in his bed, willing himself to sleep, hoping this wasn’t going to be his last night in this room.

Max leant his head back as he walked back into the workroom, relieved. By some grace of god, the judges liked his outfit enough to make him one of the top queens for the challenge. They walked over to the mirror. There was something so shocking about seeing the first mirror message. You see them on TV every season but there’s something haunting about them in real life. It could have been any of them today, it could be any of them 2 days from now. But he had done a good job today. He was proud of the look he was able to turn out in a matter of hours. And there was admittedly something that made him feel like his being here wasn’t for nothing given he had placed higher than Aquaria in the first challenge, and the first time the judges got to see him.  
“I heard you guys had a very creative conversation while we were on the main stage” Kalorie interjected. The Vixen noticeably perking up.  
“What happened?” A handful of the girls who missed the conversation said, Max was focused on Aquaria’s next move because the question had clearly been directed at her.  
“Someone brought up the fact that Cracker and my face looked very similar today, may have had some situations like that in the past like it doesn’t bother me its n-”  
“NO TOO VAGUE!” Vixen interjected turning sharply to Max from in front of him on the couch, all the queens in the room erupting into squeals and hollers as the world started to pool in Max’s head. “So what happened was-”  
The next thing that they knew, Vixen and Aquaria were in a heated screaming match, each trying to be the prominent voice in the conversation  
“You was bothered that she was doing the same face as you” Vixen explained between all the yelling. Max let out a sigh, rolling his eyes because of course they couldn’t make it through even 1 challenge without this happening.  
“Aquaria” Max said, trying to get the clearly flustered young queen’s attention “I would never do something like that to you on purpose” It was a basic makeup look. It’s not like Aquaria invented sad eyebrows.  
But Max’s voice wasn’t enough to cool the situation and Vixen and Aquaria were back at it before Aquaria even addressed Max at all. Max couldn’t even care less about them fighting, they had been speaking about him behind his back, bringing up drama that was completely unwarranted to be brought up.  
“Guess you do need your moment to pop off cos you’re not going to have too many more” and with that Aquaria walked away, Vixen yelling after her, and Aquaria not able to resist getting the last word. Max looked over at Monet and threw his hands into the air in defeat, shaking his head at the whole situation. He just wanted this day to be over. It had been the longest 2 days of his life and now he was just exhausted. He got changed, wiping off the makeup he now regretted putting on. How was it that something so small caused so much issue in Aquaria’s head? Why did being compared to Cracker bother her so much? As much as he wished he could will these questions away, he couldn’t.  
“You ok Cracks?” Monet asked, rubbing his arm as he leant on the table next to him.  
“I’m fine it’s just” Max stopped trying to find the words, but his silence said enough for his friend to know how he was feeling.  
“I know. It was kinda crazy in untucked”  
Max looked at the look book in front of him. At the makeup look that he had done before, that he had chosen for tonight’s runway. All he could think about now was how he would have to wait months to see what was said.  
“Monet, what was the worst thing that was said about me in untucked?” He said without looking at Monet and keeping his voice low so the other’s didn’t hear him as they were beginning to clear out of the room.  
Monet looked at him worried with how he would react to what he was about to tell him, but he could tell by the look in Max’s eye that this was something he needed to know.  
“That you faked your way onto Rupaul’s Drag Race”  
There was a long pause as Max processed the news.  
“Aquaria said that?” He asked his voice like acid.  
“Vixen said it” He looked over at Aquaria who was still in the corner on her own, eating the dinner that had been brought to them before they went back to the hotel. “Aquaria was mad that people keep comparing the two of you, then it got out of hand”  
Max nodded, and kept nodding as he tried his best to understand how everything was always blown out of proportion. He did his best to avoid Gio that night, the feeling seemed to be mutual as Max entered the van and saw Gio up the back corner, headphones in, looking out the window rather than engaging with any of the girls. He crashed that night in bed, silent tears pouring down his face as he finally let himself feel something, the loss of his friendship, the continued slandering of his career, the feeling of being alone. It was good to let some of it out, he wouldn’t last if he didn’t.

The next morning things were still awkward. They would occasionally catch the other one looking over across the room. No matter how uncomfortable they were with the situation, it was like they were drawn to one another, like they were waiting for someone to give them permission to come together and finally talk this out. But that was the thing about Drag Race, there was no time. They got into quick drag for the mini challenge and then the next thing they knew they were in teams about to go learn choreography all day. It was a pleasant distraction for the both of them. But distractions don’t last forever. At the end of the night Giovanni walked over to Max’s station where he was looking through his drag for the next runway.  
“Hey” Giovanni said softly, placing his hand on top of the rack.  
Max looked up, seeing the purple draping fabric of the jumpsuit he had been looking at all day, both relived and shocked that Gio had come over.  
“Hey” He said, straightening up.  
“What’re up to?” Gio seemed awkward, eyes darting around.  
“I’m just trying to figure out which hair to use tomorrow, I’m leaning towards the rectangle hair” He said turning to look at the shelf of wigs in front of them.  
“I like that one. It’s the perfect signature Miz Cracker hair. My favorite hair you used to wear” Gio was looking at Max, who reluctantly looked back at the younger queen at the mention of the past.  
“Aquaria-”  
“Can we talk?” Gio’s eyes were wide, sad but hopeful. Max looked around the room, watching as the first few queens left for the van. Monet caught his eye across the room, offering a confused look but going on her way, talking to Vixen.  
“Not here” He saw Gio’s face drop ever so slightly. Max leant in, Gio ducking his head down slightly to meet his shorter height. “We can talk back at the hotel. What’s your room number?”  
“I’m in 306”  
Max paused, realizing that Gio had been on the opposite side of the wall from him this whole time “I’m in 307”  
Gio smiled. “Ok” I’ll tap 3 times on the wall when the coast is clear”  
It was nice to see him smile at him again. Max almost felt a blush creeping up on his cheeks.  
“Ok” They parted ways not wanting to look too suspicious as they exited the work room, Max ahead of Gio, and got in the van back to the hotel.

Max waited nervously for the 3 taps on the wall. Since him and Gio had their falling out they had barely spoken. Was he going to get the answers he wanted? What answer did he even want from him? Did he really think they’d be close again? Max got up from the bed, pacing back and forth along the length of the short hotel room, submerged in his thoughts until it happened. Tap. Tap. Tap. He walked over to the wall, tapping it 3 times to let him know he got his message. He got down on his stomach so he could look under the door, just to double check that no one was standing guard outside. He sneaked out of the room, opening the door just enough for him to slip out. He inspected the tape that had been put on the hinge of the door, making sure he hadn’t left any creases, it still looked good as new. He had watched the assistants, who brought them meals and things they needed, open the door just as carefully each time they had helped him out. Why couldn’t Gio come to him, he was skinny as hell, squeezing him through the door would be a lot easier. He tapped 3 times on the door and it opened just enough for Max to slip in halfway before a hand pulled him through quickly.  
“What the fuck was that for!” Max said as he stumbled into the room.  
Gio closed the door, peeking out quickly before the door completely shut.  
“Sorry” He said in a high pitched voice, his face apologetic “I thought I heard someone walking down the hallway”  
Max sighed as he straightened himself up, looking over at Gio, who had changed out of the…interesting, purple jumpsuit with marabou feather’s he had been wearing all day and was now in a black long sleeved t-shirt and sweatpants. Max never quite understood how he pulled off some of the looks he did, and that jumpsuit was no exception to the rule.  
“Soooooo” Gio said, trying to fill the awkward silence in the room.  
“So” Max replied, both of their eyes darting around, trying to find something other than the man in front of them to focus on.  
“I’m really sorry about what happened with Vixen and the whole makeup thing. I really didn’t mean for it to come out the way it did” Giovanni quickly spat out the words awkwardly. He was still standing near the door, tentative to approach the older queen.  
“What were you trying to say to them then?” Max crossed his arms over his chest. Gio sighed and sat down on the end of the bed.  
“I don’t know. I just. I’m sick of people comparing us. We’re different people. We’re different. We both have different kinds of drag. And then, I don’t know, I guess I started to find the comparisons myself and then I felt like maybe you were copying me-”  
“Aquaria. I would never copy you, unless it was intentional like I did for your birthday or for when I was making fun of you for your wig catching on fire” Both of them smiled as they remembered the looks. The way Max had shown up to Gio’s 20th birthday dressed in nothing but a pair of blue y-fronts, a thin white harness, and performed an entire number right at Gio from the stage. Gio remembered even calling Max about the wig that caught on fire, terrified because it was one of his. He thought about how Max had laughed after he made sure he was ok, not caring about the wig but finding the entire idea hilarious.  
“I know you wouldn’t Max, deep down I always knew it. I just, I was sick of so much of it” He looked away, squeezing his eyes shut.  
“You’re not just talking about what happened the other day are you?” Max asked as he stepped closer, sitting down next to him on the bed. Giovanni shook his head. There was another long silence as they both realized that they were about to have this long awaited conversation. “What happened to us?” Max finally asked.  
“I honestly don’t know” Gio couldn’t even looked at him “I couldn’t take the comparisons, We both got so busy with other people, you became so cold-”  
“I became cold?” Max said accusingly, not seeing how he was only further validating Gio’s point.  
“Yes, you did. I’d tell you about my nights and you’d reply with one word responses, or worse like when you’d tell me you were too busy and had to go” He had turned to Max at this point but his eyes still couldn’t make contact with his gaze.  
“I’m sorry I didn’t like being reminded how good your life was getting without me”  
“I invited you out how many times?”  
“I went once, didn’t enjoy myself because I can’t relate to you and your 20 year old friends, and felt like shit about myself the next day” He remembered that night when he caved in and went to one of the parties. He put on a new look and everything, but didn’t feel right, or welcome. He knew as he stood there, without a single friend to even talk to, that the only reason he had gone was because there was a chance in his mind that him and Gio could hang out again. But Aquaria was technically working that night and he wasn’t just going to sit and watch her from across the room, like a dog tied up outside a store waiting for its owner to return.  
“Why did you feel like shit?” Gio probed after noticing how Max’s voice changed.  
“Because I didn’t fit in your world anymore!” He snapped “You didn’t need me there anymore; you were fine on your own or with these other people. I don’t think I spoke more than 5 minutes with you that entire night. You didn’t want to do the things we used to do together any more. You got better offers and you took them.”  
“I did was what was best for me and my career. You were the one who told me that I had to love this to keep doing it, so I found a space where I could explore my drag, and fashion, and people and where I am happy and around other people who make me happy”  
“And I wasn’t one of those people who could make you happy?” Max stood up as he tried to hold back the tears. He hadn’t known it beofre but this was the question that he needed the answer for. He had hoped that Giovanni couldn’t see his scrunched up face as he began to fail in his attempt to hold back the waves of emotions that were crashing down on him harder than ever before.  
“What would make you think that?” Gio said, on the verge of tears himself.  
Could he really be that oblivious, Max thought. Had they not lived the same 8 months.  
“I don’t know, maybe the fact that you went around the whole of New York City saying that I was just like any other queen that wanted to copy your makeup? Or maybe it was that you abruptly stopped answering my calls, barely texted me back, stopped reaching out like you used to, never asked me for advice anymore, never made another dinner plan, shall I continue?” Max started to feel himself get mad as he listed everything off. He wasn’t mad at Giovanni though; he was mad at himself that he had this list ready. Gio looked away as he took the hit from Max’s words, taking the time to think properly about the best way to respond.  
He took a deep breath, his shoulders becoming less tense as they dropped slightly “I need you to know that I regret saying all those things and that I’m so so sorry. I was young and angry and frustrated. And I know I should have called back, and made more of an effort but you can’t say you didn’t’ stop trying just as fast. I missed a couple messages and then the next thing I knew you were gone” Gio remembered the times he had sat there looking at Max’s number, wanting to reach out to him but feeling uncertain about calling him out of the blue. If Max asked if he wanted to get a drink and he was out already he would often just ignore the text, meaning to get back to it later, but then a mixture of alcohol and other distractions would see him the next morning feeling like a reply wouldn’t be useful anymore. But he also knew now that never replying only pushed them further apart.  
“Why would I chase you when you’re already 10 miles ahead of me?” Max looked defeated.  
“Because eventually I’m going to stop to breathe and realize one of the people who means the world to me isn’t there any more” He stood up and walked over to Max, surprised the older queen didn’t back away from his closeness.  
“Now you understand how I felt. I felt alone Aquaria” He looked up at him, tears welling in his golden brown eyes, his lip quivering ever so slightly.  
Giovanni sighed, closing his eyes “Max, every time you say that it’s like a kick to the gut”  
“Say what?” Max said, confused.  
“You never used to call me that. I didn’t used to be just Aquaria to you” His voice broke and he raised his arm up to his wet eyes, his tears catching on the dark fabric.  
“I called you Aquaria all the time” Max said dryly, not wanting to look at him. He knew if he looked at him he would completely break down.  
“Not when we’ve been alone” He stepped forward and picked up Max’s hand, the older queen letting him hold it, not wanting to pull away this time. This close all he could do was look up into Gio’s dark brown eyes, that looked back pleadingly at him.  
“Gio I-”  
He was cut off as Giovanni leant in a kissed him before retracting his lips and stepping away, a look of shock on both of their faces.  
“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have done that” He shook his head, looking at the ground.  
Max stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder “Gio” He said tentatively as he reached up and gently put a hand on the side of Giovanni’s face cradling his jaw in his palm “please don’t be sorry for that”  
There was an electricity in the air between them, pulling them together. Their lips met and Giovanni’s heart lifted as Max kissed him back this time. He rested his hands on Max’s shoulders, his hips being pulled forward as Max wrapped his free hand around his waist to pull him against his body. Gio leaned back and smiled as Max’s second hand moved from his face to his waist, his finger’s intertwining behind the young man’s back.  
“I’ve missed you” Gio said as a tear fell towards his smile, Max reached up quickly to gently wipe it away.  
“I’ve missed you too” Max smiled back at him as Giovanni pulled him back in for a hug. His hold was tight around Max’s shoulders as the older queen rubbed his back. They gently swayed back and forth, almost as though there was music playing in both their heads. Gio lifted his head off of Max’s shoulder and gave him a quick peck, that Max wish lasted longer than the brief moment of contact.  
“I’ve been waiting years for us to do that” He said as he stepped back, taking both of Max’s hands in his as he sat down on the bed and looked up at him.  
“Really?” Max asked as he raised an eyebrow at the wide eyed young man in front of him.  
Gio nodded with a bashful smile while Max sat down next to him without letting go, so close that their thighs were pressed up against each other.  
“Did you not ever think about this happening?” Gio whispered as he slinked up next to Max, a hand on his chest as he kissed his neck, Max signaling his approval by wrapping his arm around his waist.  
“I thought about it a few times but I uh” He let out a small moan at the sensation on his neck “I just never thought it would happen”  
Gio lifted his head, their lips only an inch apart “Neither did I” He did that bashful smile again and Max couldn’t stop himself from grinning as he lay back on the bed and pulled Gio down on top of him. A soft giggle coming from the younger man before their lips touched. They’re mouths moved in such a perfect rhythm, neither of them even thinking as their lips moved against one another and tongues slipped in and out of mouths. Max’s hand slid under Gio’s shirt above him, feeling the muscles in his back tensing under his touch. Gio rolled them onto their side, their legs intertwining as the younger queen brought a long leg up on Max’s hip. He ran his hands under the hem on Max’s shirt, feeling his surprisingly defined torso underneath. Giovanni had marveled at his body countless times over the years, not understanding why the other man didn’t show his body off more. Max pulled his shirt over his head, discarding it somewhere in the room, Giovanni’s hand immediately going back to his chest. The young man’s hands travelled south as Max put a hand under Gio’s thigh, precariously close to his ass, as he held him against him. As Giovanni reached Max’s waistband, he turned them over so Gio was straddling his hips. As he reached up to pull off his black shirt, Gio was all too aware of the hardness under his pelvis. He smirked at Max as he threw his shirt off to the side. He rocked ever so slightly back and forth as he watched Max’s breathing get deeper. Gio moved further down Max’s legs, hoping he wasn’t being to bold, and gently shimmied Max’s sweatpants and underwear down off his hips. He was relieved when Max lifted his hips off the bed to allow him to remove the clothes from his body. Gio was aware he was staring now that Max was completely naked in front of him. Gio stripped off his sweatpants, feeling it was only fair for him to be in his underwear if Max was going to be so exposed, the rigid bulge in his briefs clearly visible. He looked up at Max, who was looking back at him, both trying to gauge the other’s opinion of what they were seeing. Gio smirked, Max smiling back at him. He leaned forward over Max’s muscular thighs, tracing kisses up his pelvis until he got to the base of his shaft. His hand reached up, wrapping around his erection as he slowly stroked the length of his shaft as he raised his eyes to see Max looking back at him.  
“Are you sure you want this?” Giovanni asked, his lips brushing against Max’s dick as he spoke. He wanted to make sure Max wanted to do this, not that it was just something in the heat of the moment.  
“I want this so bad” He said back, with a heavy breath as Gio’s hands continued to stroke his length. Gio smiled as he lifted his head, his supple lips taking in the tip and gently teasing him for a moment. Max’s eyes fluttered shut as the younger man’s tongue traced around the sensitive head. As he lowered his head further and further down his shaft, Gio started to pick up a faster rhythm, Max leaning his head back on the pillow in pleasure. As he kept going, Max’s hand found its way into Gio’s hair. At first his fingers just ran through his black hair but then as he got closer and closer, his grip got tighter and tighter until he was holding his hair in his fist. Gio moaned at the pulling of his hair, he reached down and started stroking himself, unable to wait any longer. The sight of Gio touching himself so frantically while bobbing up and down on his shaft, coupled with the sensation of each time Gio took him all the way into his throat, was enough to send him over the edge. He held Giovanni’s head down as he came. Max took his hand out of Gio’s hair when he was done and brought it down to his jaw, sitting up as he pulled him back in for a kiss. He rolled them onto their side as he reached down and took over from Gio’s own hand, picking up the paced quickly. Max matched the pace of his hand with that of their lips. They were ravenously kissing one another, Giovanni’s hips bucking every now and again.  
“Fuck!” Gio let out as Max grabbed at his ass. Max moved his hand over his mouth, Gio’s eyes widening. He pointed at the door behind them to remind Gio that someone could be outside the door at that very moment. Gio bit his lip and a low moan came out of him as he grinded against Max. Knowing he was close, Max moved his mouth down to Giovanni’s neck, careful to try his best to not leave a mark. Gio responded by scratching his back as he muffled himself in against Max’s shoulder, eliciting a low moan from the older man. Max trailed his kisses down his chest, to his abs, till he reached Gio’s cock, wrapping his lips around the head just in time as Gio reached his climax. He watched as Giovanni lay on the bed, his chest moving up and down rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. He looked up at Max who comically wiped the edge of his mouth with his thumb.  
“Well I guess we don’t need to worry about clean up”  
“Of course you’d make a joke right now” Giovanni laughed as he sat up on the bed and kissed Max gently. Both of them relishing this kiss rather than being so frantic.  
“I’ll be right back” Max said as he got up and went into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror, still unable to believe that just happened. It’s definitely not what he had expected would happen, but he wasn’t mad that it happened either. The memories from the past of Gio falling asleep on his shoulder in cab rides back to his place after late nights out, and the way he would take his hand and pull him from store to store all came back. It was like they had gone back to their old ways, but they were both not stopping themselves from admitting that they liked one another. Max splashed some water on his face, and bit his bottom lip to stop a laugh from coming out when he thought how insane this night had been. Walking out of the bathroom, he found that Giovanni had gotten under the covers of the bed.  
“What time is it?” Max asked as he found his underwear on the floor.  
Giovanni turned to check the alarm clock on the bedside table, one of the only pieces of technology left in the room. “It’s just passed midnight” turning over to face Max and pulling the covers up to his chin. “Do you have to go?” He asked in what may have been the most adorable voice Max had ever heard come out of him.  
“It’s not like the two of us can walk out of here together in 8 hours when they come to get us” All he got back was a pout from Gio in response. “aww baby” He said without even thinking about what came out of his mouth.  
“Oh come on” Gio sat up in the bed “you can’t get all cute, call me baby like that, then leave this fast after the first time we have sex” he couldn’t hold the smile back after hearing Max call him that. Max smiled back at him, letting out a breathy laugh. Looking between the door and the bed he made his decision.  
“I guess, maybe, I could stay here for a little longer” He didn’t hesitate to pull back the sheets and get into the warm bed. There was something that felt so natural about the way that their bodies fit together as Gio laid a hand on his chest before planting a delicate kiss on his lips. “Yeah, I can definitely stay”  
They lay there in peace for 30 minutes as Max traced circles on Gio’s back as he kissed his forehead, loving the way that the younger man’s breath slowed down as he relaxed, almost on the verge of sleep. Adoring the way that Gio would look up at him and smile every time he would lift his head to kiss him.  
“So what do we do now?” Gio asked, lifting himself up slightly on one elbow.  
“Well I’m going to go back to my room, sleep, and then we’re going to go do the Pharmarusical” Max replied, joking nonchalantly.  
“You know what I mean” He replied, unable to not smile as Max’s hand reached up and ran through his black hair. “I don’t what this night to end if this is it” His face scrunched up ever so slightly.  
“Gio, we don’t have to end this tonight” He rubbed Gio’s hand that was still laying on his chest. “We just gotta keep it on the down low in the work room. I don’t want them to use this against us” Their fingers intertwined and Gio squeezed his hand gently.  
“That’s probably a good idea” His voice was solemn.  
“Hey” Max lifted his chin with a finger, bringing their gazes back up to one another. “That doesn’t mean that we don’t get to talk to each other, we can definitely be more friendly” He smiled down at him. “We just can’t be” He paused as he leant in and kissed Gio, running a hand over his still naked body, barely parting their lips as he finished his sentence “you know, friendly” Giovanni smiled into their kiss.  
There was a moment of silence as Gio watched Max just looking back at him.  
“So we’re going to give us a shot?”  
“What do you think?” Max chuckled ever so slightly at how Gio was so needing of him to confirm the way he felt about him. Gio laughed at silly he must have seemed, but he had already lost Max once before and didn’t think he could go through that again. He cuddled down against the side of Max’s body, the smile unable to leave his face as Max’s strong arm wrapped tightly around him and he kissed the top of his head. Max could feel both him and Gio starting to fall asleep, knowing that if the younger queen did fall asleep on him, he wouldn’t be able to bring himself to wake him up.  
“Ok baby, I have to go” Both of them crawled out from under the covers, Max putting on all of his clothes while Giovanni just put his underwear back on. Gio opened the door a crack, just in case someone was there.  
“Coast’s clear” He whispered  
Max slipped out the barely open door, turning back and sharing a parting kiss with Giovanni before he closed the door. Sneaking back into his room and collapsing on the bed, the exhaustion from the day really hit him. His team really needed to up their game so that he could stay, and get some more time with the man on the opposite side of the wall.

The next day as Max got into the van and his eyes immediately searched for Gio, even though he tried to conceal it. He found him at the back, a smile on his face as their eyes met.  
“Cracks!” Monet called out from the opposite side of the van, a few rows forward, waving him to the empty seat next to her. He shot Gio a look, the younger queen offering a knowing glance. It would be weird to the other queens if they were really close all of a sudden. Max sat down next to Monet, only half in the conversation as they drove to the set. In the chaos of them getting ready they found a brief moment where the attention was elsewhere in the room to speak without having the camera’s on them.  
“Hey” Gio chirped as he placed a can of Red Bull on the table next to Max’s makeup.  
“Heeeey” Max continued to look ahead, doing his makeup as he replied, not wanting to draw too much attention. He looked over at the louder conversation before taking Gio’s hand, knowing that where the younger man was standing would obscure the action from the camera’s.  
“How’d you sleep?” Gio smiled as Max rubbed circles on the back of his hand.  
“Would have been better if I hadn’t had to leave” He winked at him before turning back to his station. “You ready for the challenge?” Max asked, changing the topic after noticing how the conversation on the other side of the room was quieting down.  
Gio leant back on the table, bringing the can and straw up to his lips. “Yeah, I’m feeling pretty good about it. I just want Ru to notice me more you know?” Max nodded in agreement “How about you? How’s your team feeling?” They hadn’t got to see much of the other team rehearsing so he really had no clue about how they were feeling going into this first musical challenge.  
“Honestly I’m not feeling great about it. You’re team have it in the bag” Max bounced the makeup sponge on his face, blending out his contour as Gio walked behind him so he could see him in the mirror.  
“Well I’m sure YOU’LL do great” He squeezed Max’s shoulder gently, winking at him in the mirror before walking away, knowing that a prolonged time over at Max’s station would begin to give away their situation.  
Max tried his best not to look over, preoccupying himself in a conversation with Monet, who was getting ready next to him. His ears did perk up when he heard Eureka call out to her team.  
“Did we all stay up last night rehearsing like I did” Her team responding with a variety of agreeing statements. “What about you Aquaria?”  
Max tried not to turn his head, moving his eyes as far to the side as his peripheral vision would allow.  
“Hmmm, oh. Yeah girl I was up late getting all physical in my room” Max’s head gave in and turned as the other team chuckled, catching the smirk on Giovanni’s face. He stifled back a laugh as he turned away, their eyes briefly making contact as he returned to the task at hand. It was all fun and games now but that team had it all together last time they checked, and Max was not going to let this be his last week.

Throwing his shirt onto the bed, Max walked through to the bathroom in his small hotel room. He washed his face in the basin, too tired to get in the shower, and not caring since he would have all weekend to eventually drag himself to the shower. They had just said their goodbyes to Kalorie and it was Friday evening and so he would be locked up for the entire weekend with the security outside the door more intense than it was during the week. Drying his face with the towel, he looked up, still seeing the remanence of eyeliner that didn’t want to budge. He let out an exhausted, built up groan into the towel.  
“Max?” He heard a very familiar voice softly ask.  
He paused for a moment. Maybe he’d finally gone insane, he wouldn’t be surprised.  
“Gio?” He said looking over at the bathroom wall which connected their hotel rooms.  
“No shit Sherlock” He could hear him better now that he was closer to the wall, still very quiet even though he could tell Gio was talking at his normal volume. They were talking through a wall after all.  
“Well I’ll be damned” Someone must be looking down on him at this moment. The fact that this communication was even possible was some sort of fate.  
“This is so cool” Gio squealed, smiling even though Max couldn’t see him.

They spent that weekend each holed up in their bathrooms, bringing in their comforters and pillows to make their bathtubs comfortable for them to spend hours in while talking to each other through the dividing wall. There was something about their situation that made them open up like never before. They had nothing to do other than talk to each other or sit in their beds and watch the few available channels on the hotel tv, there was a part of Gio and Max that both felt bad for their sisters who, most likely, didn’t have this to keep them entertained.  
“You know I almost kissed you at my 20th Birthday?” Gio said as he rested his head against the wall.  
“Really?” Max replied, a little surprised as he turned to the wall, almost as if he could see him through it. He had remembered that night really well, mostly because he had walked the streets, and mostly sat in the taxi’s, of New York in just a pair of underwear. But he hadn’t minded because he knew that Gio would love it, which he really did.  
“Yeah, I was planning on trying to make a move that night because I thought I’d have a couple of drinks and be more confident but I kept chickening out. There was a point at which you put an arm around my waist to talk to me because it was loud and I thought my heart was going to explode” A wide smile grew on Max’s face. “You think that’s kind of pathetic don’t you”  
Max chuckled, softly so Gio couldn’t even hear it. “Gio I think that’s one of the sweetest things you’ve told me”  
Gio looked down, a bashful smile on his face. “Can I ask you something? And I really don’t want you to lie just because you know that I’ve had a crush on you for a really long time”  
Max nodded, quickly realizing that Gio couldn’t see him. “Yes of course baby, you know you can ask me anything?” There was a long pause, long enough that Max was about to ask if he was still there as Gio finally began to speak.  
“Uhhh well, have you really had a thing for me for a while like you said the other night or did you just say that because I said that I did?”  
It was weird for Max to see this level of insecurity from Giovanni, who had always seemed so confident in himself, always thought he was the star of every room he walked into, and was always right about that.  
“Gio, it wasn’t a lie. I have had a thing for you for a while” He paused because he felt there was more to this and he may as well be 100% open with him. “You have to understand that I met you for the first time when you were 16, and I started beginning to hang out with you when you were still 18. So for a while I didn’t see you as anything more than a friend, like a normal adult would with someone that young” It was true, he didn’t have any romantic or sexual feelings for Giovanni at that time. Gio had come into his life because of Katelyn. She had been friends with him for a couple of months. They had only met once before, a year or so before Katelyn got to know him. If Max was being honest, he hadn’t really remembered him. It wasn’t until Katelyn convinced Max to go see one of her young friend’s shows that Max started to understand the talent that people were talking about, but he still only saw them as friends, maybe even just friends of friends.  
“So when did you start having feelings for me?” Gio was nervous, turning one of Aquaria’s rings over and over on his finger nervously. Unknowing of this nervous reaction on the other side of the wall, Max’s lips slowly turned into a sweet smile as he remembered the moment when it all clicked for him.  
“Ok, so, I’m positive you don’t remember this but” Max started “We were in your apartment one night, back when you were still living with Sussi and Jordan. Maybe a month or two after your 20th birthday, I had come over to get something or I was bringing you something, I can’t remember exactly. You were meant to go out that night and you had everything laid out and then you just decided not to go, and asked me if I wanted to stay and just hang out. And I remember your friends being really confused and trying to convince you to come with them. And I felt kind of weird because I already felt like they didn’t like me, and it was out of the blue, but then they left. You took off the makeup you had put on and got into a pair of gym shorts and a ratty old t-shirt and I think it was the most casual I had ever seen you at that point” They both laughed, Gio remembered that night and the long conversation him and his friends had the next morning. “Anyway, so we sat down on your bed in the living room and you immediately put on some old movie, and I wish for the life of me that I knew what it was, but I can’t remember because all that I could think was how odd a choice it was for someone your age. And then you paused it and started talking about dreams and goals and you were so ambitious and driven and we just sat there talking for hours, and you had this gorgeous glimmer of hope that radiated out of you. You did that pleading thing where your eyes got all big and your lips got all pouty and you had a hand on my knee, so naturally, I caved and let you put on that week’s episode of Drag Race. Even though it’s your favorite show, you started falling asleep, and you asked if I would mind if you put your head on my shoulder, and I told you I didn’t mind” He paused “Gio the second you rested your head on my shoulder and started to fall asleep on me, I looked over at you, with that specific feeling that told me my feelings for you were way more than just friendship” A proud smile was plastered on Gio’s face. “So do you believe me now that you know I’ve had feelings for you for over a year?”  
“Yes” He said bashfully “I believe you” They both leant their heads against the wall between them.  
“I wish I could touch you right now, just hold you” Max missed his touch, he had just gotten him only for their circumstance to keep them apart again.  
“I wish you could too”

With the realization that their late night meetings wouldn’t be a recurring theme, the two men had to find moments of isolation on set. Disregarding the hasty blowjobs in the bathrooms near the workroom, and the sloppy make out sessions behind any part of the set one of them could pull the other behind, they were always so careful to conceal their intimacy. Gio always sat with Max and Monet in the workroom, a fact that hadn’t gone unnoticed by a couple of the other queens but could be covered up with a swift “TEAM NEW YORK”. Monet on the other hand, hadn’t really noticed the closeness. They were always careful to sit on either side of Monet when they were at the tables. They weren’t intending on that being a thing they had to do intentionally, but the one time they didn’t they soon found themselves with Max’s hand on Gio’s knee, and Gio touching Max at every feasible moment. They had just finished the Glitterific runway and were wrapping up filming for the day after coming back and seeing Vixen’s message.  
“I wish I had a friend to help me” Gio said at one of the tables, still blind with those rhinestone veils on his eyes. Max watched the lights on the cameras starting to go off, taking off his wig and laying down the metal structure that had been leaning against his back all night.  
“I got you” He gently placed his hands on Giovanni’s shoulders to let him know he was there, speaking in a low hushed tone. He sat down across from him and took his hand, removing the rings he had been struggling to get off. “Do you need help with the nails?”  
“Could you get these veils off me, they’re on the bottom of the lashes?” He said softly, both exhausted and emotionally down after how the day had gone. Max reached in, removing the lashes and the veils, gently caressing his face as Gio’s dark eyes were exposed again. A small smile on the younger queen’s face at this tender action. Max smiled softly at him, happy to see him smile but knowing he wasn’t feeling like himself.  
“I’m sorry if it seemed like I popped off at you” He was still holding the younger man’s hand, dropping it below the table so the other’s didn’t see. Max kept playing it back in his head hoping he hadn’t been too harsh in Untucked.  
“Oh, no that’s ok. I needed to hear that. And honestly, better you tell me than anyone else” He rubbed the back of Max’s hand, but still the turned down corners of his mouth were glaringly obvious. Max stood up, getting closer to him and wrapping an arm around his shoulder.  
“What’s wrong baby? Something’s bothering you” Gio looked up at him tenderly, what Max was doing right now was risky, but what he needed from him in the moment.  
“I just, I can’t believe I was in the bottom 3. Like, I was low. I could have gone home tonight, that could have been me up there” Max couldn’t believe what he was seeing, Gio looked defeated. After 1 bad challenge.  
“Hey” Max sat back down and started undoing his gown, thinking they had probably gone long enough without de dragging further for people to start to wonder why they were being so close. “You’re not going to think that way. You weren’t in the bottom 2. You did fine in the challenge, you killed the runway again. G-” He stopped himself in case anyone could hear him “Aquaria, remember what Ru told you. You were safe tonight. None of this I was in the bottom bullshit ok” He put both of his hands on Gio’s shoulders as he watched the younger man become instantly more content, a small smile turning up the edges of his mouth.  
“Do you always have to say the right thing?”  
“Yes, now help me out of this corset goddamnit!” Gio turned just enough to see that Monet and Kameron walking over, offering an explanation to why Miz Cracker came out so quickly.  
“Any chance to undress you” Gio whispered with low voice and a smirk as he moved to stand behind Max, undoing the lacing just as Kameron and Monet reached them “You good?” Gio asked, placing a hand on Max’s arm.  
“Yeah”  
“Great” Gio turned, undoing the belt around his waist and starting to remove his outfit “oh congrats again Kam, you crushed it girl” hugging Kameron as he left.  
“Thanks Aquaria” She offered as the younger queen made her way over to her station. “So” Kameron said turning her attention to Max.  
“So?” He looked between the two of them “Why are you guys staring at me?” Max was confused as the two other queens looked at him.  
“So we’re guessing you and Aquaria are back to being friends?” Monet asked as she leaned on the workbench, rubbing her paint off with a makeup wipe.  
Max felt like this was a set up, they must know something to be coming at him with this out of the blue.  
“Yeah, like I said, we worked it out. I’d rather be Aquaria’s friend again than her enemy”  
“Well I’m proud of the two of you” The usually very quiet queen spoke up “It’s very mature of you both” Something about Kameron’s southern accent was so endearing.  
“Monet you’re being replaced by Kameron who actually appreciates me for finally being an adult at 33” They all laughed, Kameron leaving to get back into her regular clothes while still chuckling. There was nothing Max couldn’t get out of with humor.  
“Alright alright” Monet conceded “I’m just saying I’m happy the two of you are friends again” As she walked away.  
“You and me both Mo, you and me both” Max murmured now that he was alone, looking over at Gio and wishing they had more time.

But their time left was running away from them. In the next few challenges, it was as though one of them had to fail for the other to succeed. And yet the other only felt immense pride and admiration for the one that was doing well. Gio tried his best to be optimistic, especially after Max won the makeover challenge but nothing prepared him for the gut wrenching feeling he had after the twins runway.  
“I need to go grab something from the work room” He heard Max say to one of the PA’s as he left the runway, the rest of the queens and the crew headed for the Untucked lounge. Gio watched as Max went down the hallway alone. He needed to talk to him without the cameras on them.  
“I just have to go to the bathroom, real quick, something’s up with all the layers of my look” He bullshitted to a PA he knew wouldn’t ask too many questions. With the crew on the Untucked sound stage Gio waited for Max to leave the workroom, taking off his 3D printed jaw mask so he could talk freely. As Max walked down the corridor he heard a voice.  
“Hey” and an animal print glove sticking out of the curtained off room the crew would film them doing their makeup behind. One of the first places they found they could hide in for a few minutes without getting found. He took the hand and was quickly pulled behind the curtain, not even seeing Gio before he was wrapped in his arms. Gio wanted to kiss him so bad and tell him everything would be fine tonight, but it wasn’t the time and he wasn’t going to lie to him. “How are you feeling about everything?” Gio asked, his head against Max’s wig.  
“What? about the fact that I fucked up so bad, or the fact that I’m the only member of this cast that isn’t a star?” The words came out like venom, but they were directed back at himself, poisoning himself from within. Gio’s heart almost broke as he saw what was happening in his lover’s head.  
“Look at me” He had taken off his gloves, making sure he could feel him while he was still there. Gio gently caressed Max’s face, careful not to mess up his makeup. “It doesn’t matter what anyone else says” He brought his second hand up, holding Max’s face in his hands as Max’s arms instinctively wrapped around his thin waist and held them close. “You’re the star that shines brighter than all of New York Maxwell Heller”  
Max reached up on his toes and brought them into a gentle kiss, both careful not to move too much and ruin their lipstick. A hundred different thought’s ran through his mind as a wave of emotion flooded every ounce of his being. This should have been the worst time of his life, but standing there with Gio in his arms, sharing a kiss that was based in more than just physical attraction, Max’s feelings for Gio had changed once again. There was a safeness he had never felt, an openness that he brought out of him, a tenderness he had never been offered before. It was at this point that Max was finally able to admit to himself that he had fallen hopelessly in love.  
“Can we make a promise to one another?” Max took Gio’s hands.  
“Of course” The younger man smiled.  
“Can we promise this doesn’t end here? That we take this back to New York. That we actually go on dates and move in together and make each other breakfast and-” His rambling was cut off by Gio bringing their lips back together, a delicate hand under his chin.  
“I promise” He whispered, resting their foreheads against each other and squeezing Max’s hands.  
“I promise too” Max’s smile was soft but genuine as they pulled each other into a tight embrace. They separated, Max looking over to the curtain they had disappeared behind. He didn’t see it but Gio had just opened his mouth to speak when he cut him off. “We should get back” He turned back to Gio, who thought maybe now wasn’t the best time to say what he has just psyched himself up to say. Instead just nodding and picking up his gloves and jaw piece, putting them on in the minute he waited after Max left the room. 

When he did get back to the Untucked set Max was up the back with his headphones on. Sitting on the couch Gio couldn’t even focus on the conversation that Eureka and Asia were trying to have with him. After what seemed like forever but was probably only 40 minutes, Gio stood up.  
“Let me go talk to Miz Cracker real quick” Knowing that he had to go check on him.  
“Yeah I think that you’re probably the best person to talk to her” Eureka said as he passed by her between the two couches. He walked up slowly behind Max, gently putting a hand on his back when he knew he had seen him in the reflection of the mirror he was standing in front of.  
“Goodtime? Bad time?” He asked as his hand lifted from Max’s back, wanting to make sure Max didn’t need to be alone right now.  
“I think I’m – I think I got it” He stumbled. “ I know the vibe of the song, I’m gonna be myself, like I perform”  
“Just be nasty” Gio said, almost over Max’s words knowing that Max, in this headspace, would go funny rather than sexy, which while it was the classic Miz Cracker take that Gio loved, it was probably not what the judges would pick. “Yeah? Like Raja and Carmen, just like nasty, nasty” He felt like he was pleading him to do this, but it was the right advice for this song, to keep him there for the last 4 days of filming. But Gio knew Max, and he had that look in his eye that told the younger man that if he was going to go home, he was going to go home being himself. The judges had told Miz Cracker that she wasn’t letting them see who she really was, so why would Max change her performance and not be authentically Miz Cracker just to stay the extra week. Why ask for Cracker but not actually want Cracker.  
“Gio if this is the last moment alone together I want to tell you something” Max said in a low voice so no one could hear them, putting his hand on Giovanni’s, his emotions were high and it felt like the right moment to get his feelings out in the open.  
“Yeah” Gio’s voice was somehow scared and hopeful all at the same time.  
“OH HELLO!” Came the voice of Lena Dunham, that week’s guest judge as she walked into the lounge. The two men looked at each other, knowing that their moment had just been cut short as a producer in their line of sight waved them towards the couches. Gio wanted to ask Max what he had wanted to say, but with all the camera’s in the room they knew that wasn’t going to happen. Max couldn’t even sit there any longer with all this unnecessary pandering to a guest judge, when he would potentially be going home tonight, instead he just left and went back to listening to the song over and over again until they were called back to the main stage.

Gio was positive he didn’t take a single breath during the lip sync. For so much of it, you wouldn’t know who was going to win, and then Gio looked over at Ru when Max went funny rather than sexy. In that moment he watched Ru make her decision, even though Miz Cracker was turning it out. Still there was that small part of him that held out hope.  
“Kameron Michaels….Ashanti you stay” Gio’s heart sank as he leant his head back to stop the tears that immediately started to well up. Max felt like he was in state of shock. Everything he’d worked for was over, and so close to the end.  
“Miz Cracker, once you get a taste you never go backer. Now, sashay away” Max had to laugh, of course now would be the moment for Ru to crack a joke.  
“Ru thank you so much. I’m going to go out there and do it, damn it!” Garnering an applause from the other girls behind him. Gio was the first one onto the stage to hug him at the end, Max hanging onto him so tight he thought he would break in half. All 5 of the them were huddled together, unknowingly shielding Max and Gio’s final moment together. A single one of Gio’s tears landed on Max’s exposed shoulder.  
“It’s ok” He whispered softly into Gio’s ear as they all let him go. Offering Gio a comforting smile as he composed himself, Max took a deep breath before turning at the end of the runway. “Cher, cockroaches, and Cracker DAMNIT!”  
There were a few chuckles as he walked away, devastated. It was heart breaking in so many ways. Walking back into the workroom to collect the silver trophy it dawned on him that he had let down his family. With Monet gone and now him, Max felt like he had failed both Monet and Bob. He wrote his message on the mirror, a feeling he wished he had never had to experience. Taking off a few of Miz Cracker’s nails, Max started writing the 4 remaining queen’s letters, taking extra time on Gio’s to tell him how much he meant to him. He was honest, letting him know that he would see him back in New York before the PA’s took him to a different room to dedrag so the other girls could come back to the workroom. 

Now out of drag and an hour later, Max was let back in to collect his things. He packed everything he could into his 5 suitcases and then found notes from the others. He couldn’t help but smile at Gio’s note.  
“What are you thinking?” The producer asked.  
“I’m just so proud of the friendship I’ve now got with Aquaria, it’s my proudest achievement” They didn’t press any further, letting him wheel out his bags before more of the crew helped him to the van. He put down the window, knowing what he said now would be his real final words. “Aquaria, bring home the crown”  
It didn’t’ take long for Max’s emotions to hit their breaking point. On the flight back to New York all he could think of was what Asia had said on the runway. How Miz Cracker wasn’t a star. How he wasn’t a star. He couldn’t even explain it to Katelyn, he didn’t know if he could ever get over it. But he had something that made him feel better when he was in these low points, and that was remembering that he had Gio who would be coming back any day now. He was in love with him, and that love was one on the only things keeping him going.

Gio 10:55pm: Hey babe! Finally got my phone back hahaha  
Gio 10:57pm: I’m coming home tomorrow around 5pm but I have a gig at 10. Meet me backstage ;)


End file.
